Post by Pavane on Mar 29, 2012 16:25:48 GMT -5
Ahiga - male adolescent wolf
Tala - female adolescent wolf
Ikuna - male adolescent wolf
---Clover Lawn---
A light flurry of snow falls from a gray sky. The clover lawn, usually so vibrant with colors and alive with the sounds of life, is silver with frost. Flowers are asleep for the season, and the frozen grass is hidden beneath a carpet of freshly fallen snow. Within this cold desert Ahiga can be found, sitting atop of the highest of the three stones that lay claim to this area. Usually green with moss, they've turned grey like most everything else here. The young wolf's back is toward the hill, facing the creek that serves as a physical border of the Ute homelands. His expression is calm and thoughtful as he stares, mindless of the flecks of snow that stick to his fur and face.
Tala is slowly troting along, tail swaying at times as she seens to be following along after a scent, which is of Ahiga or perhaps a deer. Either way she is moving ever closer towards where Ahiga happens to be. Her ears prick forward, gaze resting upon Ahiga and a smile crosses her maw while she moves ever closer towards where he happens to be. "Hey.. What you doing?"
There's snow everywhere - including Ikuna's pelt, turning the normally brown wolf to a paler shade. He hasn't bothered to shake it off - what's the point, when it keeps falling? - and so it camouflages him as he makes a slow, contemplative sort of patrol of the packlands. He's not too worried - it's winter, after all. Who goes wandering in winter? Still, it's good to keep this stuff up.
From his vantage point, Ahiga catches Tala's trotting form moving along, and his ears perk up as he watches. Seeing her approach, he stands and hops from his high rock, to the middle, then down to the shortest one before stepping on the snowy ground. "Jus' lookin'," he answers with a light smirk. "Hopin' some lost prey might wander by or somethin'. Better that it's you though," he says with a grin, greeting her with a light head butt, his usual greeting, though it ends with a nuzzle, which is not as common." He wiggles his tail a little. "I bet you was lookin' for me, right? Don't lie. I know you were," he teases, apparently unaware of Ikuna's soon to be arrival, as his attention is wholly on Tala.
Tala looks amused and chuckles out while she shifts to drop down to her haunches next to Ahiga. Her tail sways a few times. "I see.. Well how is that working.. I'm guessing nothing has wandered by hum?" She questions with an amused tone. A warm smile is seen and she tilts her head to nuzzle back at Ahiga's neck. "Me?.. Why on earth would I do such a thing?" Her brows wiggle playful like. She too has no idea her brother is around.
Ikuna has the advantage, what with being allegedly patrolling and thus paying attention to his surroundings. He's not going to just walk past someone, nope, not him... hey, wait, what's that past those rocks? His ears perk, and he peers in that direction before softly padding closer. He's all investigative until he's halfway there... at which point he catches the scents and realizes it's his friends. The sneaking from that point on is simply with the goal of surprising them! Closer... closer...
"Oh, uh.. I dunno," says Ahiga airily, looking up to the sky. "Maybe because uh...I'm so amazing an' cool and... awesome?" he suggests as his eyes return to hers, grinning cheesily. "Cuz, you know, if I were you, I'd be lookin' for me too, searchin' all day. Don't be embarassed," he says as he reaches out a paw to sympathetically pat at her shoulder, "I won't tell anybody." He slightly turns an ear. Did he hear something? Ah, probably just the wind. No prey animal is going to walk by now that they're being so talkative!
Tala lifts a brow as she hears Ahiga, an amused look crosses her face and she smirks while eyeing him playful like. "Oh reall?" She shifts on her paws and suddenly without warning she leaps at him attemping to pin him to the ground while grinning all the while. Her stormy gaze watching him and she winks down at Ahiga. "You trying to be all smart at the moment an't you?" She then gives his cheek a faint nosing. Her ears twitch forward and her head lifts slightly to glance up thinking she heard something moving around as well.
All right, he's snuck up on them! Awesome! Now to pounce and... Ikuna pauses, looking down at the two of them as Tala pounces down at Ahiga. Don't they just look... cute. Yeah. He shuffles one paw in the snow, and then instead of pouncing, he clears his throat. "Uh. Hey, guys," he says, trying to look casual despite having just shown up right next to them.
Ahiga nods slowly. "Yeah really," he answers, brows raising in a serious look. But it's a serious look htat doesn't last as he's suddenly attacked! He only succeeds in halfway rising before *fwoomph!* he's pushed over and lands on his back. "Ow, hey!" he protests, glaring up at her, and although he tries to fight back a grin he does not succeed. "What do you mean /tryin'/ to be smart?" he retorts, wrinkling his nose up at her. But all of his false looks of displeasure don't have a chance of sticking around once her nose touches his cheek, and he lifts up a paw that's meant either to bat at her or, more likely, curl around her neck, but it never gets a chance to. At Ikuna's sudden ninja appearance, he pauses, blinking quickly as he tilts his head back a little. "...Woah, where'd /you/ come from?"
Tala winks at Ahiga and chuckles softly, a soft burr escaping her s her tail sways about behind her a few times. "Oh.. Maybe I'll tell you sometimes." This said while she winks at Ahiga. There is a pause at the movement from Ahiga and then the voice of Ikuna, and she blushes which is at least hidden thanks to her fur! "Well he is a Ute wolf.. what you expect?" This said more of a statement then actual question. "How you doing Ikuna?" She questions while hoping off Ahiga and settles to her haunches.
Ikuna, snow-wolf. He gives himself a shake, and the snow flutters away to expose the wolf beneath. "Oh, around," he answers vaguely to Ahiga with a wave of his paw. He might have had a better answer, only... well, there's still that bit of weird feeling about the... snugglies. Not that it's unusual, exactly, except there's something different with the way they're acting... and the scrambling /off/ Ahiga, as opposed to inviting him in for more maulings and wrasslings. The Ikuna is perplexed. He glances to Tala, and blinks. "Oh. I'm okay," he says. "Just been patrollin'. You know." He smiles. "How about you two?"
Once Tala is off of him, Ahiga slowly rolls over and sits up, giving himself a shake too. He exhales a vague breath, eyes lingering just slightly on Tala before he smirks towards Ikuna and his lackluster answer. Oh, around? "Yeah, that tells a lot," he answers, brow lifting. "Been doin' the same. Patrolin', sort of." He glances past the trio of boulders, to the creek again. "Thinkin' about Wachiwa 'n where she is. If she's /really/ finding the Spirits or...whatever."
Tala lets her gaze rest on her brother still and she smiles before looking back to Ahiga and nods, a faint look seen as if they need to say something perhaps.. "I'm sure she's alright.. Its Chewy after all she raised us." She grins. "I bet she'll find them in no time."
Yeah, around. Ikuna gives Ahiga a half-smirk of admitting that, yeah, it's a dumb answer but so what. He sighs at the mention of Wachiwa, though and sits down abruptly with his tail curled against him. "Yeah." There's something that's definitely been weighing on his mind. "I guess... if they're there to be found, she's gonna find them." He shrugs a bit, not seeming quite content with that. "Still. It's sort of weird having her gone. I mean... I dunno. It just is."
Oh he sees that look, and Ahiga has a pretty good idea of what it means. But he's a master of avoidance, and with Ikuna not seeming his usual happy self, /he's/ not going to be the once to bring it up. No ma'am! So he just pretends he didn't see it and instead tilts his head at Ikuna, brows slightly elevated. "It is weird yeah, but like...to me, this whole thing is weird. It's not like she can just go lookin' in every den, asking if anyone's see'm around, right?" he asks, glancing from him to Tala, then back. "Right? I never got to ask her, but where was she even gonna start?" A pause, then he rolls a shoulder. "I don't know. To me it's like...maybe she just wanted to get away for a lil' while."
Tala eyes Ahiga a moment, well his a lot of help.. Though yes Ikuna doesn't seem like his normal joyful self at the moment either. "Well.. I dono.. I never really asked her about that." She offers looking a bit puzzled before clearing her throat. A glance offerred over to Ikuna. "Did she tell you anything?"
Ikuna nods his agreement to Ahiga. It _is_ all weird, and no mistaking it. "I dunno," he says, and looks over to his sister. In this case, it seems Ikuna-who-paid-attention has just as little clue as the rest. "I mean... she said once that the Spirits talk if you open your heart and listen, but..." He gives a short, almost bitter laugh. "There've been times when I was pretty willing to listen to /anything/, good or bad, if it was another voice, and I never heard anything. Maybe I'm just not special like that. I dunno."
"Shoot, if they're not talkin' to you, Ikuna, then they sure aren't gonna say anything to me," snickers Ahiga with a shake of his head. "Never heard a whisper in all my life. I always liked Wachiwa's stories. Didn't understand all've 'em all the time, but they were good to listen to. But really.." he glances skyward momentarily, making a doubtful face. "I dunno if I really believe all that stuff. I believe there are spirits...but I don't know if they really did all the things they did in those stories, and I don't think they're around to talk or listen to us at all."
Tala is quiet for a moment, her tail swaying a few times. "I dono.. I tryed that a lot when we lost you there for a while Ikuna." She offers with a soft tone at the thought. "Never heard a peep.. But Ahiga is right if they don't talk to you then we have no hope in it." She smirks faintly.
Ikuna half-smiles to Ahiga, and nods. "They make for good stories," he agrees, and then sighs a little, looking from his friend to his sister and then back again. "I guess there's something out there, but... maybe the world was different once. Maybe there was a time when all the spirits went rampaging across the land... and there were only two wolves, and their names were alpha and beta..." he trails off, and then snorts. "Okay, maybe not. Maybe it's just stories for puppies and such. But there are people who do seem to hear stuff. Not the Great Spirits, but... how Anoki says he hears dead things. And I know a cougar who does too. So there's something there, it's just maybe..." He's quiet a moment, and then laughs. "Well. You know how, when we were puppies, stories about battles were shiny and heroic and nobody ever really got hurt?" As opposed to painful and leading to things like bloody fur and limping or half-blind wolves and death. "Maybe it's the same sort of thing."
Maybe Anoki and the cougar are just crazy. Maybe they have an ailment much like Hadir's fits. No one can claim that what that pup goes through is any sort of blessing, but it is abnormal, as is "hearing the dead" in Ahiga's opinion. But he does not want to speak ill of his Cerulean friend, especially considering what did (and did not) happen when Tala was with him. As Ikuna laughs, his ears lift a bit, and in response to what he says Ahiga snickers a little. "Maybe. Whether or not it's true, it's hard for me to think like Wachiwa does. I mean, if she /really/ left jus' to go find them and ask for help or answers or whatever, then she thinks that they can like...control us an' what happens to us. I like to think that what happens to us is up to us an' what we do for ourselves, not what a Spirit can do for us if it feels like doin' it."
Tala hums softly and nods to Ikuna. "A cougar can see stuff like Anoki?" She questions with a tilt of her head finding this rather interesting forsome reason. A slight nod is seen as she hears Ikuna. "Well.. ya.. I remember that." This said softly as she shifts to settle upon her stomach, forepaws tucked close to her chest for the moment. "Though the stories we heard as pups all had meanings to them to try and teach us things didn't they?"
"Yeah. She said she had a little dead birdie friend," Ikuna answers to Tala. "Maybe they're crazy, and it's all just bad meat and hopes. Maybe we're the crazy ones." He nods to Ahiga somewhat. "We can't control everything. Sometimes things just happen for... well, for no reason, seems like." He half-smiles. "It's for no reason, or else it's 'cause there /are/ Spirits and they're hurting us on purpose." And he'd rather have random chance than a malicious perpetrator. "Either way, stuff happens. All we can do is... what we can. We just have to keep trying, no matter what. It's all we can do... and I think it's what we should do." He looks to Tala, and smiles. "Yeah. Those stories did have meanings, and y'know... I don't think I believe in the spirits, but I'm still gonna tell those stories to the puppies. They're good lessons."
"A dead birdie friend, huh?" Sounds a little crazy in the head to Ahiga, but he keeps that portion of his comment to himself. "Pft, if the Spirits are hurtin' us on purpose, then we're all doomed," he says with a shrug of his shoulders and a snicker. Such nicer to think that that's /not/ the case! Bad things happen just because, not because someone's out to get you. As Tala settles down, he shifts a little, as if to join her, though..that'd be strange, right? So he doesn't, still wrestling with the new feeling that he needs to be close to her all the time. So he stays where he is, close enough, though not extremely so. "You guys think she's really gonna come back?"
Ikuna chuckles softly. "If the spirits are there, and they don't like me... well, they can make the ice crack under my paws next time I go on the river, or make lightning strike me next time there's a storm. I don't think they will, though... and not just 'cause they don't exist. I plan on being a good wolf, with or without them, so what should they care if I believe in them or not?" He snorts softly, and then stares sidewise up at the sky for a long moment before looking back to his friends. At Ahiga's final question, he sighs, and turns his head to look out across the creek himself. "I hope so. I... don't think she'd stay away forever, not if she had any choice. But... there's not always a choice, is there?"
Ahiga has his doubts about Wachiwa's return. True, she does care for them, but they're not pups anymore and don't exactly need supervision. Askuwheteau may have been a factor at one point, but lately he's been as distant as the alphas, and Ahiga can't remember the last time he's really spent time with his mentor. So what reason would she have to return, other than a possibly dwindling loyalty to the pack? What would she have to look forward to? This gets him thinking again (which never is a good thing..) All wolves should have a purpose! Something that makes them want to get up every day and do their duty and stick around on their homelands and give their all to protect it. Wachi and Ikuna are close. If she doesn't come back, and if he ends up not too happy with him and Tala, then who's to say he won't be next to jump ship? Meh. "Hey, when spring comes around, we should take a trip or somethin'," he suggests. "Not far, jus' around the border. We might find some wolves to bring back with us. Cool ones." Female ones.
Tala blinks out from a daze or somesuch. She glances to the two picking up in the conversation again it seems. "Of course she won't stay gone forever.. We're her family after all.." Her ears lower a moment at the thought of never seeing Chewy again. A soft sigh escapes her, if Asku was around maybe she would have stayed though.. She smirks as she hears Ahiga her tail swaying a few times. "Well.. That is an idea.."
Ikuna turns his head back to look at Ahiga, and smiles. "Yeah, okay. We can pick a direction, head out for a day or so, come back again. It'll be fun to see more of what's out there... and who knows, maybe we will meet some other wolves. Can't just be us and Cerulean in this whole big place."
"Exaaactly," Ahiga says, seemingly glad that his idea has been taken well by his friends. "There's gotta be more wolves. I mean, /I/ wasn't Cerulean, so I had to've come from somewhere, right? There's probably tons of wolves out there who just haven't come by cuz they smelled the borders and figure maybe we're a bunch've jerks." He puffs out his chest a little, head held a little higher. "Definitely not /me/."
Tala nods to Ahiga. "Well.. ya that is true.." She offers softly and clears her throat a moment while shrugging. "We could always try to figure out where you came from and see if there may be any more wolves that might want to come over so to speak?"
Ahiga blinks once at Tala's suggestion. He hadn't thought of that! "Heh, yeah," he says with a crooked grin. "But...sounds like a lot've work, don't you think? Plus, I like the story that I uh, appeared out've nowhere, a mysterious wolf with no past," he says in a whispery dramatic voice. He grins at her afterwards and stands to move closer to her, lifting a paw to swat playfully at her ear. "Plus, that'd just mean I'd find wolves who probably don' want to see me."
Tala lifts a forepaw to rub across her face a few times. "Well ya I know.. But its better idea then just running around trying to find some wolves." She tibbits at him playful like. "At least its an idea you know?" She blinks at the ear swatting and leans up to nip at Ahiga. "An how do you know that?.. They may want to.."
Ikuna laughs. "They can't have you, anyway. You're ours now." He leans forward, and nudges at Ahiga's shoulder with a grin. "No getting around it." Though maybe Ahiga's more for one of the two siblings than the other, at the moment.
"It'll be easy," he assures Tala. "I bet all we have to do is cross the river an' wolves will come runnin'. You wanna know why?" He glances at them both. "Because they'll sense our Cool." He nods sagely, grinning as he rears back from Tala's nip. "Nope. If they did, then I wouldn't be here, right? I always thought that wherever I came from, the wolves were like...I dunno. Crazy or something. Because who'd want to give up someone like /me?/" He grins at Ikuna. "You guys lucked out. Ute all the way now."
Tala blinks and laughs at Ahiga. "Our.. cool?.. An what pray tell is that?" Her ears perking forward and she wiggles about on her haunches as if she was about to leap out at Ahiga. "Well we wouldn't have it any other way of course." She offers with an amused tone and grin.
"Yeah. Sometimes good stuff 'just happens', too," says Ikuna to Ahiga, and then hehs. Well, maybe it won't be _quite_ that easy. He was pretty worn out the last time he was gone from Ute lands for any visit further than Cerulean, but he's pretty sure random wolves didn't just show up and beg to make friends. Still, when Tala speaks, he shakes his head to her. "'f Ahiga says there's cool, there's cool. Ain't nobody what knows cool better'n he does," he says sagely, and then grins wide.
Ahiga raises a paw and points it at Ikuna. "See? /He/ knows what he's talkin' about!" he says, grinning. "We drown in cool over here. Thanks to me, o'course," he says, moving his pointing paw to press it to his chest, giving a little bow. "You're welcome." He gives Tala the evil eye, noticing her stance. Hmm. "An' you won't dare."
Tala lifts a brow and just grins at Ahiga. "An.. Why won't I?" She questions with a simple tone and flick of her tail. "Always wait and see what happens you know?" As she asks this her muscles tense and as soon as the question is asked she leaps towards Ahiga with a half laugh escaping her in the process.
Yep. Ahiga's got the cool, and Tala... Tala's got the pouncing. These are immutable facts, and Ikuna sure isn't gonna be the one arguing with them! He laughs as the point is proven. "Turns out... she would."
Oh yes she would, and Ahiga knew she would! This time he's ready! Braced, he meets her leap, rising on his hind legs to hug his paws around her. Now this...is a wrestling match! Keeping himself upright for now, he pushes against her, using his weight and strength to try to bowl her over. "C'mon Ikuna, help me get'er!" Boys vs. Girls! Or rather, Boys vs. Girl. How fair is that, right? Totally fair, in his book.
Tala laughs out while she wiggles about on her hindlegs, her front paws wrapping around Ahiga as she pushes against him. A faint snort escaping her in the process as she does her best to keep from falling backwards! Ahiga may be bigger then her but she is no push over that is for sure! A ear flicks towards Ahiga calling in Ikuna for help and she smirks. "Oh.. Nice.. Cheater!"
Ikuna laughs, and bounds up to his feet, taking a lunge forward and then jumping up... yep, solidly in the middle, putting one of his forepaws on the shoulders of each! He's totally helping Ahiga, yes. Boys vs. girls! See that pushing at Tala? No, wait, he's totally helping Tala, yes. Sibling Solidarity! See that pushing at Ahiga? Orrrrrr... maybe he's just shoving at both of them, hug-wrestling and seeing if he can make 'em BOTH fall down into the snow with him on top!
OMG Ikuna what are you doing?! Tala, by now, should be flat on her face because in /theory/ Ikuna should be adding all of his efforts in pushing her! Oh, he sees how it is. Ahiga laughs as he is pushed back, then pushes forward, nipping at both, struggling against them. His hindpaws slip against the snow, but he keeps his grip..up to a point! "Woah!" Ikuna's efforts win out and Ahiga goes down. Noooo!
Tala blinks at Ikuna and grins while her hips wiggle about and with a laugh she pushes against Ahiga.. Only Ikuna is not shoving against them both..Well that wasn't in the plans! Once Ahiga goes down she is soon following, getting smooshed against him in the process while Ikuna is king of the wolf heap it seems!
Aww yeah! King of the wolf heap! Which is to say, tumbling down on top of the wolf heap with a thump because as Ahiga and Tala give way, well, there goes everything that's holding up Ikuna! He wurfs out, landing sprawled across both of them and squishing them further together. "...hah," he declares once he gets some of his breath back, because it seems appropriate.
Urmph! Wolfpile in the snow! Ahiga squints his eyes as the weight of friends squishes down on him, but he can't help but laughing. Why wouldn't he laugh? These are good times! And the heaviness on his back and side is a comfortable feeling of closeness. "Ungh, so much for /teamwork/ Ikuna," he says, failing at sounding sour. He kicks his paws against Tala just to show her whose boss before he settles.
Tala squeaks out.. Yes she did squeak seeing how her brother is squishing her uponing Ahiga at the moment. She wiggles about and grunts at the kicking. "Hey.. Stop that.. You brat." Is offered with a laugh to Ahiga while she scrambles and kicks herself until she manages to scramble away enough and slides a bit in the snow with a laugh.
"So much squishing!" retorts Ikuna, and leans over to give the other male's ear a lick as he grins. It's good times. This is how things should be - all three of them, playing together and having fun. As the two wolves beneath him start kicking each other, he eeps and squirms. It's moving under him! Oh no! He laughs, trying to avoid getting shoved too much by this bumpy bumpy ride, and then Tala manages to escape and Ikuna is flumped against Ahiga directly, still grinning.
Squishing and kicking! And .. escaping! Ahiga growls and snaps his jaws together, trying to get one last nip at Tala before she's out a range. But he doesn't pursue. He's tired! Plus..he'll let her get away just this one time. He gives Ikuna one last shove. "Thanks for your /help/, eh?" he says with a grin before contenting himself with just leaning against him, not bothering to get up.
Tala lets out a yawn as she stretches in her spot and soon just curls up where she is. Someone is sleepy it seems. She eyes the pair with an amused look and chuckles. "Well.. why you two get all snuggly I'm gona get some sleep. Maybe we can go hunting tomorrow?" Well it is an idea, bout time they get a fresh kill too.
That's Ikuna. Totally helpful. He grins, and grunts slightly at the shove, but doesn't really move. Why should he? He's comfy. ...okay actually he's even maybe a bit beyond comfy in terms of how happy he is, but he wasn't thinking of that when he did it, promise, it's just now that he's here he's kinda noticing just how nice it is to be pressed close to Ahiga like this, and he doesn't want to move and why should he move, really, it's just... it's just his friend. He can handle this. He takes a deep breath before looking over to Tala. Good thing he did, too, because... all snuggly? Well, yes, but... no, no, he'll just ignore that. Like he's ignoring all the rest of these feelings. After all, that's not what romance is. Clearly. "Uhh... yeah. Sounds like a plan, Tala." And then he closes his eyes, not moving away from Ahiga because... well... he doesn't want to.
Ahiga elaborately rolls his eyes before making a face at Tala. All snuggly huh? "Maybe if you get up an' not sleep all day like usual we'll let you hunt with us tomorrow," he retorts with a smirk, his teasing obvious. Retaliating to her comment, he doesn't move away and instead makes a show of snuggling that much closer to Ikuna. It's not like it's uncomfortable. A warm wolf is a warm wolf, after all! "You know you're gonna come crawlin' over here eventually Tala," he says before sticking his tongue out before laying his head back down, resting against the wolf next to him. He smirks to himself, peering over at her for a moment before closing his eyes. Sleep time is now.
Tala watches the two a few moments longer before she is well.. fast asleep. Though she does have to admit they look rather happy snuggled against one another, she sorta wishes she was the one getting in on the cute snuggling.. Not that she'll go an say anything mind you. Soon enough she is snoring away.
Tala - female adolescent wolf
Ikuna - male adolescent wolf
---Clover Lawn---
A light flurry of snow falls from a gray sky. The clover lawn, usually so vibrant with colors and alive with the sounds of life, is silver with frost. Flowers are asleep for the season, and the frozen grass is hidden beneath a carpet of freshly fallen snow. Within this cold desert Ahiga can be found, sitting atop of the highest of the three stones that lay claim to this area. Usually green with moss, they've turned grey like most everything else here. The young wolf's back is toward the hill, facing the creek that serves as a physical border of the Ute homelands. His expression is calm and thoughtful as he stares, mindless of the flecks of snow that stick to his fur and face.
Tala is slowly troting along, tail swaying at times as she seens to be following along after a scent, which is of Ahiga or perhaps a deer. Either way she is moving ever closer towards where Ahiga happens to be. Her ears prick forward, gaze resting upon Ahiga and a smile crosses her maw while she moves ever closer towards where he happens to be. "Hey.. What you doing?"
There's snow everywhere - including Ikuna's pelt, turning the normally brown wolf to a paler shade. He hasn't bothered to shake it off - what's the point, when it keeps falling? - and so it camouflages him as he makes a slow, contemplative sort of patrol of the packlands. He's not too worried - it's winter, after all. Who goes wandering in winter? Still, it's good to keep this stuff up.
From his vantage point, Ahiga catches Tala's trotting form moving along, and his ears perk up as he watches. Seeing her approach, he stands and hops from his high rock, to the middle, then down to the shortest one before stepping on the snowy ground. "Jus' lookin'," he answers with a light smirk. "Hopin' some lost prey might wander by or somethin'. Better that it's you though," he says with a grin, greeting her with a light head butt, his usual greeting, though it ends with a nuzzle, which is not as common." He wiggles his tail a little. "I bet you was lookin' for me, right? Don't lie. I know you were," he teases, apparently unaware of Ikuna's soon to be arrival, as his attention is wholly on Tala.
Tala looks amused and chuckles out while she shifts to drop down to her haunches next to Ahiga. Her tail sways a few times. "I see.. Well how is that working.. I'm guessing nothing has wandered by hum?" She questions with an amused tone. A warm smile is seen and she tilts her head to nuzzle back at Ahiga's neck. "Me?.. Why on earth would I do such a thing?" Her brows wiggle playful like. She too has no idea her brother is around.
Ikuna has the advantage, what with being allegedly patrolling and thus paying attention to his surroundings. He's not going to just walk past someone, nope, not him... hey, wait, what's that past those rocks? His ears perk, and he peers in that direction before softly padding closer. He's all investigative until he's halfway there... at which point he catches the scents and realizes it's his friends. The sneaking from that point on is simply with the goal of surprising them! Closer... closer...
"Oh, uh.. I dunno," says Ahiga airily, looking up to the sky. "Maybe because uh...I'm so amazing an' cool and... awesome?" he suggests as his eyes return to hers, grinning cheesily. "Cuz, you know, if I were you, I'd be lookin' for me too, searchin' all day. Don't be embarassed," he says as he reaches out a paw to sympathetically pat at her shoulder, "I won't tell anybody." He slightly turns an ear. Did he hear something? Ah, probably just the wind. No prey animal is going to walk by now that they're being so talkative!
Tala lifts a brow as she hears Ahiga, an amused look crosses her face and she smirks while eyeing him playful like. "Oh reall?" She shifts on her paws and suddenly without warning she leaps at him attemping to pin him to the ground while grinning all the while. Her stormy gaze watching him and she winks down at Ahiga. "You trying to be all smart at the moment an't you?" She then gives his cheek a faint nosing. Her ears twitch forward and her head lifts slightly to glance up thinking she heard something moving around as well.
All right, he's snuck up on them! Awesome! Now to pounce and... Ikuna pauses, looking down at the two of them as Tala pounces down at Ahiga. Don't they just look... cute. Yeah. He shuffles one paw in the snow, and then instead of pouncing, he clears his throat. "Uh. Hey, guys," he says, trying to look casual despite having just shown up right next to them.
Ahiga nods slowly. "Yeah really," he answers, brows raising in a serious look. But it's a serious look htat doesn't last as he's suddenly attacked! He only succeeds in halfway rising before *fwoomph!* he's pushed over and lands on his back. "Ow, hey!" he protests, glaring up at her, and although he tries to fight back a grin he does not succeed. "What do you mean /tryin'/ to be smart?" he retorts, wrinkling his nose up at her. But all of his false looks of displeasure don't have a chance of sticking around once her nose touches his cheek, and he lifts up a paw that's meant either to bat at her or, more likely, curl around her neck, but it never gets a chance to. At Ikuna's sudden ninja appearance, he pauses, blinking quickly as he tilts his head back a little. "...Woah, where'd /you/ come from?"
Tala winks at Ahiga and chuckles softly, a soft burr escaping her s her tail sways about behind her a few times. "Oh.. Maybe I'll tell you sometimes." This said while she winks at Ahiga. There is a pause at the movement from Ahiga and then the voice of Ikuna, and she blushes which is at least hidden thanks to her fur! "Well he is a Ute wolf.. what you expect?" This said more of a statement then actual question. "How you doing Ikuna?" She questions while hoping off Ahiga and settles to her haunches.
Ikuna, snow-wolf. He gives himself a shake, and the snow flutters away to expose the wolf beneath. "Oh, around," he answers vaguely to Ahiga with a wave of his paw. He might have had a better answer, only... well, there's still that bit of weird feeling about the... snugglies. Not that it's unusual, exactly, except there's something different with the way they're acting... and the scrambling /off/ Ahiga, as opposed to inviting him in for more maulings and wrasslings. The Ikuna is perplexed. He glances to Tala, and blinks. "Oh. I'm okay," he says. "Just been patrollin'. You know." He smiles. "How about you two?"
Once Tala is off of him, Ahiga slowly rolls over and sits up, giving himself a shake too. He exhales a vague breath, eyes lingering just slightly on Tala before he smirks towards Ikuna and his lackluster answer. Oh, around? "Yeah, that tells a lot," he answers, brow lifting. "Been doin' the same. Patrolin', sort of." He glances past the trio of boulders, to the creek again. "Thinkin' about Wachiwa 'n where she is. If she's /really/ finding the Spirits or...whatever."
Tala lets her gaze rest on her brother still and she smiles before looking back to Ahiga and nods, a faint look seen as if they need to say something perhaps.. "I'm sure she's alright.. Its Chewy after all she raised us." She grins. "I bet she'll find them in no time."
Yeah, around. Ikuna gives Ahiga a half-smirk of admitting that, yeah, it's a dumb answer but so what. He sighs at the mention of Wachiwa, though and sits down abruptly with his tail curled against him. "Yeah." There's something that's definitely been weighing on his mind. "I guess... if they're there to be found, she's gonna find them." He shrugs a bit, not seeming quite content with that. "Still. It's sort of weird having her gone. I mean... I dunno. It just is."
Oh he sees that look, and Ahiga has a pretty good idea of what it means. But he's a master of avoidance, and with Ikuna not seeming his usual happy self, /he's/ not going to be the once to bring it up. No ma'am! So he just pretends he didn't see it and instead tilts his head at Ikuna, brows slightly elevated. "It is weird yeah, but like...to me, this whole thing is weird. It's not like she can just go lookin' in every den, asking if anyone's see'm around, right?" he asks, glancing from him to Tala, then back. "Right? I never got to ask her, but where was she even gonna start?" A pause, then he rolls a shoulder. "I don't know. To me it's like...maybe she just wanted to get away for a lil' while."
Tala eyes Ahiga a moment, well his a lot of help.. Though yes Ikuna doesn't seem like his normal joyful self at the moment either. "Well.. I dono.. I never really asked her about that." She offers looking a bit puzzled before clearing her throat. A glance offerred over to Ikuna. "Did she tell you anything?"
Ikuna nods his agreement to Ahiga. It _is_ all weird, and no mistaking it. "I dunno," he says, and looks over to his sister. In this case, it seems Ikuna-who-paid-attention has just as little clue as the rest. "I mean... she said once that the Spirits talk if you open your heart and listen, but..." He gives a short, almost bitter laugh. "There've been times when I was pretty willing to listen to /anything/, good or bad, if it was another voice, and I never heard anything. Maybe I'm just not special like that. I dunno."
"Shoot, if they're not talkin' to you, Ikuna, then they sure aren't gonna say anything to me," snickers Ahiga with a shake of his head. "Never heard a whisper in all my life. I always liked Wachiwa's stories. Didn't understand all've 'em all the time, but they were good to listen to. But really.." he glances skyward momentarily, making a doubtful face. "I dunno if I really believe all that stuff. I believe there are spirits...but I don't know if they really did all the things they did in those stories, and I don't think they're around to talk or listen to us at all."
Tala is quiet for a moment, her tail swaying a few times. "I dono.. I tryed that a lot when we lost you there for a while Ikuna." She offers with a soft tone at the thought. "Never heard a peep.. But Ahiga is right if they don't talk to you then we have no hope in it." She smirks faintly.
Ikuna half-smiles to Ahiga, and nods. "They make for good stories," he agrees, and then sighs a little, looking from his friend to his sister and then back again. "I guess there's something out there, but... maybe the world was different once. Maybe there was a time when all the spirits went rampaging across the land... and there were only two wolves, and their names were alpha and beta..." he trails off, and then snorts. "Okay, maybe not. Maybe it's just stories for puppies and such. But there are people who do seem to hear stuff. Not the Great Spirits, but... how Anoki says he hears dead things. And I know a cougar who does too. So there's something there, it's just maybe..." He's quiet a moment, and then laughs. "Well. You know how, when we were puppies, stories about battles were shiny and heroic and nobody ever really got hurt?" As opposed to painful and leading to things like bloody fur and limping or half-blind wolves and death. "Maybe it's the same sort of thing."
Maybe Anoki and the cougar are just crazy. Maybe they have an ailment much like Hadir's fits. No one can claim that what that pup goes through is any sort of blessing, but it is abnormal, as is "hearing the dead" in Ahiga's opinion. But he does not want to speak ill of his Cerulean friend, especially considering what did (and did not) happen when Tala was with him. As Ikuna laughs, his ears lift a bit, and in response to what he says Ahiga snickers a little. "Maybe. Whether or not it's true, it's hard for me to think like Wachiwa does. I mean, if she /really/ left jus' to go find them and ask for help or answers or whatever, then she thinks that they can like...control us an' what happens to us. I like to think that what happens to us is up to us an' what we do for ourselves, not what a Spirit can do for us if it feels like doin' it."
Tala hums softly and nods to Ikuna. "A cougar can see stuff like Anoki?" She questions with a tilt of her head finding this rather interesting forsome reason. A slight nod is seen as she hears Ikuna. "Well.. ya.. I remember that." This said softly as she shifts to settle upon her stomach, forepaws tucked close to her chest for the moment. "Though the stories we heard as pups all had meanings to them to try and teach us things didn't they?"
"Yeah. She said she had a little dead birdie friend," Ikuna answers to Tala. "Maybe they're crazy, and it's all just bad meat and hopes. Maybe we're the crazy ones." He nods to Ahiga somewhat. "We can't control everything. Sometimes things just happen for... well, for no reason, seems like." He half-smiles. "It's for no reason, or else it's 'cause there /are/ Spirits and they're hurting us on purpose." And he'd rather have random chance than a malicious perpetrator. "Either way, stuff happens. All we can do is... what we can. We just have to keep trying, no matter what. It's all we can do... and I think it's what we should do." He looks to Tala, and smiles. "Yeah. Those stories did have meanings, and y'know... I don't think I believe in the spirits, but I'm still gonna tell those stories to the puppies. They're good lessons."
"A dead birdie friend, huh?" Sounds a little crazy in the head to Ahiga, but he keeps that portion of his comment to himself. "Pft, if the Spirits are hurtin' us on purpose, then we're all doomed," he says with a shrug of his shoulders and a snicker. Such nicer to think that that's /not/ the case! Bad things happen just because, not because someone's out to get you. As Tala settles down, he shifts a little, as if to join her, though..that'd be strange, right? So he doesn't, still wrestling with the new feeling that he needs to be close to her all the time. So he stays where he is, close enough, though not extremely so. "You guys think she's really gonna come back?"
Ikuna chuckles softly. "If the spirits are there, and they don't like me... well, they can make the ice crack under my paws next time I go on the river, or make lightning strike me next time there's a storm. I don't think they will, though... and not just 'cause they don't exist. I plan on being a good wolf, with or without them, so what should they care if I believe in them or not?" He snorts softly, and then stares sidewise up at the sky for a long moment before looking back to his friends. At Ahiga's final question, he sighs, and turns his head to look out across the creek himself. "I hope so. I... don't think she'd stay away forever, not if she had any choice. But... there's not always a choice, is there?"
Ahiga has his doubts about Wachiwa's return. True, she does care for them, but they're not pups anymore and don't exactly need supervision. Askuwheteau may have been a factor at one point, but lately he's been as distant as the alphas, and Ahiga can't remember the last time he's really spent time with his mentor. So what reason would she have to return, other than a possibly dwindling loyalty to the pack? What would she have to look forward to? This gets him thinking again (which never is a good thing..) All wolves should have a purpose! Something that makes them want to get up every day and do their duty and stick around on their homelands and give their all to protect it. Wachi and Ikuna are close. If she doesn't come back, and if he ends up not too happy with him and Tala, then who's to say he won't be next to jump ship? Meh. "Hey, when spring comes around, we should take a trip or somethin'," he suggests. "Not far, jus' around the border. We might find some wolves to bring back with us. Cool ones." Female ones.
Tala blinks out from a daze or somesuch. She glances to the two picking up in the conversation again it seems. "Of course she won't stay gone forever.. We're her family after all.." Her ears lower a moment at the thought of never seeing Chewy again. A soft sigh escapes her, if Asku was around maybe she would have stayed though.. She smirks as she hears Ahiga her tail swaying a few times. "Well.. That is an idea.."
Ikuna turns his head back to look at Ahiga, and smiles. "Yeah, okay. We can pick a direction, head out for a day or so, come back again. It'll be fun to see more of what's out there... and who knows, maybe we will meet some other wolves. Can't just be us and Cerulean in this whole big place."
"Exaaactly," Ahiga says, seemingly glad that his idea has been taken well by his friends. "There's gotta be more wolves. I mean, /I/ wasn't Cerulean, so I had to've come from somewhere, right? There's probably tons of wolves out there who just haven't come by cuz they smelled the borders and figure maybe we're a bunch've jerks." He puffs out his chest a little, head held a little higher. "Definitely not /me/."
Tala nods to Ahiga. "Well.. ya that is true.." She offers softly and clears her throat a moment while shrugging. "We could always try to figure out where you came from and see if there may be any more wolves that might want to come over so to speak?"
Ahiga blinks once at Tala's suggestion. He hadn't thought of that! "Heh, yeah," he says with a crooked grin. "But...sounds like a lot've work, don't you think? Plus, I like the story that I uh, appeared out've nowhere, a mysterious wolf with no past," he says in a whispery dramatic voice. He grins at her afterwards and stands to move closer to her, lifting a paw to swat playfully at her ear. "Plus, that'd just mean I'd find wolves who probably don' want to see me."
Tala lifts a forepaw to rub across her face a few times. "Well ya I know.. But its better idea then just running around trying to find some wolves." She tibbits at him playful like. "At least its an idea you know?" She blinks at the ear swatting and leans up to nip at Ahiga. "An how do you know that?.. They may want to.."
Ikuna laughs. "They can't have you, anyway. You're ours now." He leans forward, and nudges at Ahiga's shoulder with a grin. "No getting around it." Though maybe Ahiga's more for one of the two siblings than the other, at the moment.
"It'll be easy," he assures Tala. "I bet all we have to do is cross the river an' wolves will come runnin'. You wanna know why?" He glances at them both. "Because they'll sense our Cool." He nods sagely, grinning as he rears back from Tala's nip. "Nope. If they did, then I wouldn't be here, right? I always thought that wherever I came from, the wolves were like...I dunno. Crazy or something. Because who'd want to give up someone like /me?/" He grins at Ikuna. "You guys lucked out. Ute all the way now."
Tala blinks and laughs at Ahiga. "Our.. cool?.. An what pray tell is that?" Her ears perking forward and she wiggles about on her haunches as if she was about to leap out at Ahiga. "Well we wouldn't have it any other way of course." She offers with an amused tone and grin.
"Yeah. Sometimes good stuff 'just happens', too," says Ikuna to Ahiga, and then hehs. Well, maybe it won't be _quite_ that easy. He was pretty worn out the last time he was gone from Ute lands for any visit further than Cerulean, but he's pretty sure random wolves didn't just show up and beg to make friends. Still, when Tala speaks, he shakes his head to her. "'f Ahiga says there's cool, there's cool. Ain't nobody what knows cool better'n he does," he says sagely, and then grins wide.
Ahiga raises a paw and points it at Ikuna. "See? /He/ knows what he's talkin' about!" he says, grinning. "We drown in cool over here. Thanks to me, o'course," he says, moving his pointing paw to press it to his chest, giving a little bow. "You're welcome." He gives Tala the evil eye, noticing her stance. Hmm. "An' you won't dare."
Tala lifts a brow and just grins at Ahiga. "An.. Why won't I?" She questions with a simple tone and flick of her tail. "Always wait and see what happens you know?" As she asks this her muscles tense and as soon as the question is asked she leaps towards Ahiga with a half laugh escaping her in the process.
Yep. Ahiga's got the cool, and Tala... Tala's got the pouncing. These are immutable facts, and Ikuna sure isn't gonna be the one arguing with them! He laughs as the point is proven. "Turns out... she would."
Oh yes she would, and Ahiga knew she would! This time he's ready! Braced, he meets her leap, rising on his hind legs to hug his paws around her. Now this...is a wrestling match! Keeping himself upright for now, he pushes against her, using his weight and strength to try to bowl her over. "C'mon Ikuna, help me get'er!" Boys vs. Girls! Or rather, Boys vs. Girl. How fair is that, right? Totally fair, in his book.
Tala laughs out while she wiggles about on her hindlegs, her front paws wrapping around Ahiga as she pushes against him. A faint snort escaping her in the process as she does her best to keep from falling backwards! Ahiga may be bigger then her but she is no push over that is for sure! A ear flicks towards Ahiga calling in Ikuna for help and she smirks. "Oh.. Nice.. Cheater!"
Ikuna laughs, and bounds up to his feet, taking a lunge forward and then jumping up... yep, solidly in the middle, putting one of his forepaws on the shoulders of each! He's totally helping Ahiga, yes. Boys vs. girls! See that pushing at Tala? No, wait, he's totally helping Tala, yes. Sibling Solidarity! See that pushing at Ahiga? Orrrrrr... maybe he's just shoving at both of them, hug-wrestling and seeing if he can make 'em BOTH fall down into the snow with him on top!
OMG Ikuna what are you doing?! Tala, by now, should be flat on her face because in /theory/ Ikuna should be adding all of his efforts in pushing her! Oh, he sees how it is. Ahiga laughs as he is pushed back, then pushes forward, nipping at both, struggling against them. His hindpaws slip against the snow, but he keeps his grip..up to a point! "Woah!" Ikuna's efforts win out and Ahiga goes down. Noooo!
Tala blinks at Ikuna and grins while her hips wiggle about and with a laugh she pushes against Ahiga.. Only Ikuna is not shoving against them both..Well that wasn't in the plans! Once Ahiga goes down she is soon following, getting smooshed against him in the process while Ikuna is king of the wolf heap it seems!
Aww yeah! King of the wolf heap! Which is to say, tumbling down on top of the wolf heap with a thump because as Ahiga and Tala give way, well, there goes everything that's holding up Ikuna! He wurfs out, landing sprawled across both of them and squishing them further together. "...hah," he declares once he gets some of his breath back, because it seems appropriate.
Urmph! Wolfpile in the snow! Ahiga squints his eyes as the weight of friends squishes down on him, but he can't help but laughing. Why wouldn't he laugh? These are good times! And the heaviness on his back and side is a comfortable feeling of closeness. "Ungh, so much for /teamwork/ Ikuna," he says, failing at sounding sour. He kicks his paws against Tala just to show her whose boss before he settles.
Tala squeaks out.. Yes she did squeak seeing how her brother is squishing her uponing Ahiga at the moment. She wiggles about and grunts at the kicking. "Hey.. Stop that.. You brat." Is offered with a laugh to Ahiga while she scrambles and kicks herself until she manages to scramble away enough and slides a bit in the snow with a laugh.
"So much squishing!" retorts Ikuna, and leans over to give the other male's ear a lick as he grins. It's good times. This is how things should be - all three of them, playing together and having fun. As the two wolves beneath him start kicking each other, he eeps and squirms. It's moving under him! Oh no! He laughs, trying to avoid getting shoved too much by this bumpy bumpy ride, and then Tala manages to escape and Ikuna is flumped against Ahiga directly, still grinning.
Squishing and kicking! And .. escaping! Ahiga growls and snaps his jaws together, trying to get one last nip at Tala before she's out a range. But he doesn't pursue. He's tired! Plus..he'll let her get away just this one time. He gives Ikuna one last shove. "Thanks for your /help/, eh?" he says with a grin before contenting himself with just leaning against him, not bothering to get up.
Tala lets out a yawn as she stretches in her spot and soon just curls up where she is. Someone is sleepy it seems. She eyes the pair with an amused look and chuckles. "Well.. why you two get all snuggly I'm gona get some sleep. Maybe we can go hunting tomorrow?" Well it is an idea, bout time they get a fresh kill too.
That's Ikuna. Totally helpful. He grins, and grunts slightly at the shove, but doesn't really move. Why should he? He's comfy. ...okay actually he's even maybe a bit beyond comfy in terms of how happy he is, but he wasn't thinking of that when he did it, promise, it's just now that he's here he's kinda noticing just how nice it is to be pressed close to Ahiga like this, and he doesn't want to move and why should he move, really, it's just... it's just his friend. He can handle this. He takes a deep breath before looking over to Tala. Good thing he did, too, because... all snuggly? Well, yes, but... no, no, he'll just ignore that. Like he's ignoring all the rest of these feelings. After all, that's not what romance is. Clearly. "Uhh... yeah. Sounds like a plan, Tala." And then he closes his eyes, not moving away from Ahiga because... well... he doesn't want to.
Ahiga elaborately rolls his eyes before making a face at Tala. All snuggly huh? "Maybe if you get up an' not sleep all day like usual we'll let you hunt with us tomorrow," he retorts with a smirk, his teasing obvious. Retaliating to her comment, he doesn't move away and instead makes a show of snuggling that much closer to Ikuna. It's not like it's uncomfortable. A warm wolf is a warm wolf, after all! "You know you're gonna come crawlin' over here eventually Tala," he says before sticking his tongue out before laying his head back down, resting against the wolf next to him. He smirks to himself, peering over at her for a moment before closing his eyes. Sleep time is now.
Tala watches the two a few moments longer before she is well.. fast asleep. Though she does have to admit they look rather happy snuggled against one another, she sorta wishes she was the one getting in on the cute snuggling.. Not that she'll go an say anything mind you. Soon enough she is snoring away.